Plainsmen sign 15 new players

Two from Sterling, one each from Fleming and Fort Morgan join

The Northeastern Junior College Plainsmen bolstered their ranks with 15 new players on Tuesday.
(Jonathan Seib/Journal-Advocate)

STERLING --"This is a very important day for Plainsmen baseball. Whenever you sign this many players with this kind of talent, it's a big deal," Northeastern Junior College Baseball head coach Bryan Shepherd said Tuesday night, as the Plainsmen hosted their signing day at the Plainsmen Grill in Sterling.

In all, the Plainsmen announced the signing of 15 new high school players.

Among the 15 names were 12 from Colorado -- four from right in our own backyard.

Jay Kiel of Sterling and his Sterling High School teammate, Lucas Lingreen of Atwood, both signed their letters, as did left-handed pitcher Tyler Vandenbark of Fleming, and David Mendez of Fort Morgan.

Vandenbark was announced but not present at the gathering as he had a basketball game to play in that night. Taylor Juarez, a right-handed pitcher from Greeley West High School, and Britten Abbot, an outfielder from Eaton High School, had also signed earlier that day due to basketball games.

Other players that were not present included catcher Nick Demfel from Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada and Ty Gavin, a right-handed pitcher from Pueblo East.

From Colorado, the Plainsmen signed Kadeem Ahmad, an outfielder from Westminster who attended Pamona high school; Kolin Evans, an outfielder from Mountain View High School in Berthoud; Jaron Balmon, a utility infielder hailing from Eaton and Frederick High School; Brian Skrdlandy from Pine Creek High School in Colorado Springs; Trent Mueller from Prairie View High School in Brighton; and Rodney Morales, a left handed pitcher from Brighton High School.

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The team also signed Liam Wilson, who made the long trek in to the signing from Ayr, Ontario, Canada. Wilson has been with the Ontario Terriers.

"We want to welcome you all to the Plainsmen family. We have built a good tradition here with the current players and are excited for you to come in and be part of it," said Shepherd during the signing.

Shepherd talked at length about how successful the recruiting was this year after the event.

"It's been unbelievable," he said. "It's a surreal feeling to get the talent we did in the time that we did. It's a phenomenal feeling to know that you literally had nobody say no. And to be done recruiting by Jan. 15, especially to have them all on paper now, is just unheard of. We are very fortunate."

And while he is proud of every player he recruited, he is very excited about the local talent he signed.

"The more local kids you can get into a program the better. They are already familiar with our program and what we do, and even better, we are familiar with them and what they can do."

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